Center for mass production of lightweight composites

The Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (Achener Zentrum für integrativen Leichtbau, or AZL) of RWTH Aachen University (Aachen, Germany) was established in 2012 with the mission to develop breakthrough technologies for the mass production of lightweight composite parts.

AZL comprises two separate entities:

AZL of RWTH Aachen University conducts research and development in lightweight products, materials, production processes and systems with access to the latest full-scale machines and automation systems.

AZL Aachen GmbH provides industrial services in engineering, consultancy and project management, networking and business development, enabling close cooperation between the lightweight industry and the research institutes of RWTH Aachen Campus along the whole value chain.

According to AZL, composites have a tremendous potential but they require an integrative and interdisciplinary approach along the entire value chain. Thus, AZL brings together 8 institutes which cover the entire value chain for composites. Its goal is to bring together materials science and production technology in order to generate efficient process chains for industrialized production.